Quality dining experiences at Walt Disney World Resort are around every corner of this popular travel destination. EPCOT, in particular, is a Utopia for foodies. In 2021, a space themed restaurant opened up in the World Discovery section of the park. Space 220 has been met with mixed reviews since opening, and during our November 2024 trip to the resort, we were able to finally snag a reservation.
Space 220, a themed dining experience
Restaurants have been making the transition from being places to get food to full on experiences. The days of cheap plastic theming are coming to an end, while wise properties are pumping a fair amount of quality into food, service, and ambiance. Space 220 certainly appeals to this new zeitgeist in dining.
The over three-year-old restaurant is not actually an intellectual property of WDW, but rather the Patina Restaurant Group. Space 220 is not the only non-Disney restaurant at the resort, with several restaurants in the World Showcase being under separate ownership/management – three of which are also Patina restaurants.
Space 220 is an immersive eatery. While this is not a Disney property, it does embrace the same spirit of escapism that the brand offers its guests. Diners meet at the base of the restaurant and are then transported 220 miles – where the restaurant gets its name – up to the Centauri Space Station. The journey upwards is facilitated in what’s called the “Stellarvator.“
Once guests are transported to the space station, they’re escorted down corridors past the wine storage and space aeroponics, to their dining table. The entire dining room is flanked by a viewing area out into space!
“Step inside Space 220 Restaurant—featuring a celestial panorama from a space station—for a delicious meal,” the WDW webpage for the restaurant states. “To begin your journey, board a special space elevator that will ascend to the stars! Along the way, viewports will give you an aerial view of EPCOT as you travel high above the planet. As you dine, peer out and enjoy amazing daytime and nighttime views of Earth from 220 miles up.”
The glitz and glam
A lot of effort was put into creating this unique restaurant. While we know we’re not being transported 220 miles upwards, and we know that we’re not on a space station, the experience is there. The monitors acting as windows looking out into space give the feel of being at the top of the Space Needle or the Strat – except on steroids. The ride in the space elevator, Stellavator, feels like a real journey, and the upper and lower porthole windows show dining parties simulations of their ascent/descent.
The same level of production value that you’d expect from any other Walt Disney World Resort attraction went into this restaurant.
The menu
If you’re going to eat at Space 220, know that the menu is prix fixe. For lunch, there’s a two-course meal, and dinner has a three-course meal.
At the time of publication, the adult lunch price is $55.00 and kid’s price is $29.00. Prices are exclusive of drinks, additional sides, and desserts.
At the time of publication, the adult dinner price is $79.00 and kid’s price is $35.00. Prices are exclusive of drinks, “supplementals,” and additional sides. Dessert is included as the third course.
The lunch and dinner menus are similar but not identical.
Appetizers aka “Lift-Offs”
- Starry Calamari – Fried calamari with cherry peppers
- Blue Moon Cauliflower – Tempura fried cauliflower
- Grow Zone Sprouts Salad – Roasted brussels sprout salad with ricotta
- Neptune Tartare – Bluefin tuna with wasabi avocado
- Centauri Caesar Salad – Classic Caesar salad
- Andromeda Wagyu Beef Carpaccio – Beef carpaccio garnished with pomegranate seeds, shaved parmesan, truffle sauce, with potato chips
- Apollo 16 Shrimp Tacos – Marinated shrimp in crispy wonton taco shells
- Phantom Galaxy Beet Salad – Beet salad with petite rosette lettuce and caramelized goat cheese
- Butternut Solar Soup (only dinner) – Maple-roasted squash, smoked duck with brioche croutons
Main dishes aka “Star Course”
- Slow Rotation Zero-G Short Rib (only dinner) – Braised short rib with cheddar grits
- Naro-1 Pork Chop (only dinner) – Korean bourbon-glazed pork chop with blue cheese smashed potatoes and broccolini
- Mangala Roasted Chicken – Indian-inspired marinated chicken with coconut basmati rice
- Galactic Miso Salmon – Miso-glazed salmon with tempura-fried mushroom
- Nebula Grouper (only dinner) – Pan-seared spiced grouper with roasted parsnip puree
- Space Pad Thai – Pad Thai with choice of crispy tofu, chicken, or shrimp
- 8 oz Filet Mignon (only dinner) – Angus beef filet with creamy mashed potatoes
- Rocket Flame Seared Tuna (only lunch) – Fennel spice-rubbed tuna
- Titan Steak Salad (only lunch) – Salad with marinated beef tenderloin, blue cheese crumbles, and “green goddess dressing”
- Interstellar Steak & Frites (only lunch) – New York strip steak with French fries
- Gemini Burger (only lunch) – Signature beef blend burger with white cheddar, bacon, and a side of French fries
A la carte sides aka “Satellite Sides”
- Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Truffled Herb Parmesan Fries
- Roasted Carrots
- Chili-Garlic Broccolini
- Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Parmesan
“Space Station Supplementals,” dinner only
- 1.5 lbs Baked Whole Lobster Stuffed with Jumbo Crab
- 24 oz Bone in Ribeye Steak
Desserts aka “Super Nova Sweets”
- Lunar Carrot Cake – Carrot Cake, Cream Cheese, Candied Pistachios
- Sol –Chocolate Tart, Coffee Sponge, Hazelnut Crunch, Coffee Mouse [sic], Cherry Gel
- Cosmic Cheesecake – Chocolate Cheesecake, Chocolate Crumbs, Raspberry Gel, Chocolate Dome
- Capella – Maple Mousse, Orange Curd, Cranberry Orange Blondie, Chai Cream
- Bode’s Swirl – Lemon Chiffon, Berry Compote, Marshmallow Meringue
- Gelato – Vanilla or Chocolate
- Sorbet – Mango or Strawberry
- Flight 220 (only lunch) – Lunar Carrot Cake, Bode’s Swirl, Cosmic Cheesecake
Kids’ appetizers aka “Lift-Offs,” dinner only
- Mozzarella Moons – Fried Mozzarella, Marinara
- Grow Zone Crudites – Seasonal Vegetables, Ranch
- Fruit Cup – Assorted Seasonal Fruits
- Baby Greens – Assorted Greens, Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes, Honey Mustard
- Satellite Caesar – Chopped Romaine, Parmesan, Croutons
- Mini Mission Mac – Elbow Macaroni, American-Cheddar Cream Sauce
Entrees for Kids aka “Star Course”
- Spaceghetti – Chicken Meatball and Tomato Sauce
- Galactic Salmon – Mashed Potatoes and Broccolini
- Cosmic Chicken – Fried Chicken Tenders, Space Fries, Ketchup
- Smashed Burger – Burger, American Cheese, Space Fries
- Beef Tenderloin (only dinner) – Grilled Steak, Buttered Carrots, Space Fries
- Mission Macaroni – Elbow Macaroni, American-Cheddar Cream Sauce
Kids’ desserts aka “Super Nova Sweets”
- Shooting Star Jello – Berry Jello, Whipped Cream, Gummies, Rock Candy
- Gelato Scoop – Chocolate or Vanilla
- Sorbet Scoop – Strawberry or Mango
- The Milky Meltaway – Caramel, Hot Chocolate, Vanilla Gelato, Chocolate Dome
Drinks
There’s a whole host of both soft and alcoholic drinks available for purchase. Signature space-themed cocktails as well as draft and bottled beers, and wines by the glass are served. For the kids, besides the normal fare, there are two signature “kids’ zero-proof sippers” mocktails. The menu also has dessert drinks with coffee, espresso drinks, and an “Up All Night” signature spiked chilled coffee drink.
Our trip to Space 220
My two travel companions/roommates and I were fortunate enough to snag a dinner reservation at Space 220 for the day before Thanksgiving 2024. Since opening in 2021, we were never lucky enough to be able to secure a spot there. Even past attempts to barter with the reservation desk for a table at the foot of the experience did not garner us a spot.
The journey to Space 220 takes diners past the main entrance sign and up a walkway.
The walkway wall is adorned with inspiring quotes and there’s a lower reservation desk on the way winding up to a small courtyard. The courtyard has a parking area for electric scooters.
The main concierge is located by a large waiting area. There, guests wait to be called on to take the trip up the elevator to the restaurant.
We showed up about 15 minutes prior to our reservation time. We only waited a few minutes before we were called to head to the Stellarvator. The ride up is a minute and a half long, maybe two minutes.
Walking into the dining room is a bit impressive. I’ve never been to space, but this sure was a pretty neat stand-in for the experience. The dining room is open and airy.
Our seating area was comfortable and we did not feel crowded.
What’d we order?
Since the dining experience at Space 200 is prix fixe, it makes some of the decisions easy. We knew we were each going to be getting three courses. I also knew that I was going to end up going halfsies on appetizers with my older roomie, and that she’d be taking a bite or two out of whatever I ordered – and I’d be doing the same.
For my choices, I selected: Andromeda Wagyu Beef Carpaccio, Naro-1 Pork Chop, and Capella and espresso for dessert.
The fairest of my roommates – and bull goose in all things we do travel – selected: Apollo 16 Shrimp Tacos, 8 oz Filet Mignon, and Sol for dessert.
Our junior adventurer ordered: Mozzarella Moons, Beef Tenderloin, and The Milky Meltaway for dessert.
For the table – who am I kidding, the junior adventurer was not going to eat any of these – for the bull goose and myself, we ordered Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Parmesan.
Appetizers
All of the appetizers were great. The portion sizes were just right. Not over the top, but not leaving you wanting much more.
The junior adventurer’s mozzarella moons looked sad on his plate, but there’s only so much you can do with little moons and big plates. He said they were standard and he scoffed them up without issue or complaint.
The Andromeda Wagyu Beef Carpaccio was good and the beef was fresh. The flavors that came together with the pomegranate seeds, shaved parmesan, and truffle sauce, created a savory/sweet minuet for the tastebuds.
We weren’t shy, the fairer of my roommates and I just plopped the carpaccio on the potato chips and ate them like they were fancy Irish nachos.
We also went halfsies on the Apollo 16 Shrimp Tacos. These were good. There wasn’t anything over the top spectacular about them, but they were tasty. The crispy wonton shells were a nice touch though, in contrast to the standard soft shells you might find at other restaurants.
The main courses
The main dishes we each ordered, we all enjoyed. The food was prepared to our liking and everything tasted fresh.
Our junior adventurer fancies himself to be a little aristocrat, and ordered his steak medium. When we visited Skipper Canteen, they said that they don’t serve kids’ steaks any other way than done, due to policy. That disappointment was not the case at Space 200 – nor the Brown Derby.
Naro-1 Pork Chop
The Naro-1 Pork Chop was a great dish. The flavors of the bourbon-glaze paired with the slight char of the meat melded well together. The meat was very tender and not overcooked at all. I’d say this dish is a nice stand-out, unique one, and it’s worth having if you’re a pork lover.
The blue cheese smashed potatoes were good. I would say they could have made them a bit more blue, but I’m also a cheese fanatic, so this is a very biased opinion. The broccolini was standard and went well with the plate as a whole.
8 oz Filet Mignon
My eldest roommate got the filet. It was a good filet. Also cooked the way she wanted it, medium. Like the pork, the meat was tender and well flavored. The accompanying creamy mashed potatoes were also good. Overall, the filet was a well-made plate that satisfied a ridiculously tough steak critic. I mean ridiculously tough – she might say, “No, I’m not.” Um, okay.
Beef Tenderloin
As noted, the youngest of the roommates got the tenderloin off the kids’ menu. It was cooked the way he liked it and he did eat the entire thing. Somehow we ended up with this freeloader that likes steaks. So, not a big deal when there’s a kids’ menu item…but with that taste for steak come days where he says, “I’ll have the beef Wellington,” like he did at Steak in Las Vegas. How about the clown burger or crispy colonel fun basket, kid?
I can only imagine how my dad felt when I used to order filet mignons well done – you can thank shows like “20/20” and the scare tactics of the 90s programming for those dark ages in my life. Barbaric.
The junior adventurer’s steak came with fries and carrots. He did not eat the fries. He eats fries from, like one place on Earth, and that’s a whole other ball of weird wax. I’m sure those chromosomes came from the bull goose, not me.
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Parmesan
We got the Brussels sprouts as a side dish. They were really good. Balsamic and parmesan is like a powerhouse profile. We did not need these, to be honest. We liked them. But we did not eat them all.
Dessert
Our desserts came without much fanfare. Everything was unique. This is an area where the chef went to town on coming up with something off the beaten path. The two desserts that we went halfsies on were reminiscent of some of the desserts at Sanaa, at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. But, they only were reminiscent of them.
Espresso
I’m not having dessert, or leaving a nice sit-down meal without having espresso – if it’s offered. The espresso was standard, not standout. It did, however, have a nice crema.
Capella
The Capella is described as a maple mousse. My notes on the dessert said that it had a slight hint of citron and cannoli cream. Considering the description noting the dessert has an orange curd and chai cream, I don’t feel too bad about that assessment. It was good.
Sol
The Sol is said to be a chocolate tart. I liked this one better than the Capella, to be honest. My notes said that Sol had a mild hazelnut and coffee flavor. Well, that was spot on, considering the dessert has a hazelnut crunch and coffee mousse. The menu online says “coffee mouse,” but I’m going to say it was a mousse.
The Milky Meltaway
Junior explorer had this interesting dessert. I wish I filmed what we were looking at. The menu describes the Milky Meltaway to have, “Caramel, Hot Chocolate, Vanilla Gelato, Chocolate Dome.” The dessert does exactly what the namesake says, melts away.
Our little roomie thought it was okay – but we’re not talking about someone with a massive sweet tooth. More often than not, desserts end up coming back to bite us in the posterior, in addition to him just not having a pallet that favors sweets. Which is fine since Mr. “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” over there is a big enough liability with his steak tooth.
What’s the consensus?
Space 220 was a phenomenal dining experience. We’re glad that we were finally able to score a table at this great restaurant. While we’ve received and read mixed feedback from other diners, I can say that our meals were great. Maybe the restaurant had a rocky start, but after we had a chance to get in there, we’ve added this idiosyncratic eatery to our short list of places to return. I highly recommend checking this place out if you find yourself at EPCOT Center in Walt Disney World Resort.
